Abstract: TOMS/Al data with nearly 20 years are utilized in the paper to
evaluate dust activities in North China. Combined with simultaneous NCEP
reanalysis climate data, climate effects on dust activities are assessed.
The results showed that the whole North China suffers impact by dust aerosols,
with three centers standing out in TOMS/Al spring average map that are western
three basins, which are characterized by lower annual precipitation and
elevation. Gobi deserts in Mongolia Plateau do not attain higher TOMS/Al value
due to cloud contamination and relative higher elevation. Spring is the season
with the highest TOMS dust aerosol index; within the western three basins, high
dust aerosol index appears in both spring and summer, especially in Tarim
Basin. Wind speed in spring and precipitation in previous rainy season play
important roles in controlling dust activities, higher wind speed and less
precipitation than the normal are in favor of dust activities in spring.
Temperature in spring and previous winter also affect dust activity to a certain
extent, but with contrary spatial distribution. Temperature in winter exert
effect principally in west part, contrarily, temperature effect in spring is
mainly shown in east part. Both of them have negative correlation with dust
activity.